Switch mechanism.



E; F. G. H. FAURE.

SWITCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I7, 1914.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIE F. Gr. I-I. FAURE, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 BURKE ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1918.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Emu F. G. H. FAURE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and 'useful Improvements inV Switch Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates t0 quick acting reciprocating mechanism, and has particular reference to means for causing a reciprocatory bar to move quickly lin one or both directions, and independently of the controlling device. Y

The device essentially comprises a recip rocatory rod, bar or other part combined with a spring', latching means and a controlling device in such manner that the controlling device is first moved to eXert a tension upon the spring tending to throw the reciprocatory member, and then after a predetermined movement causing the latching means to be released and thereby permit the spring with its accumulated energy to quickly throw the reciprocatory member. It will thus be seen that the device is characterized by a controlling means which has a preliminiary movement independent of the reeiprocatory member and during which energy isstored for actuating the reciprocatory member after the controlling` means has moved a predetermined distance and released the latch. The device is capable of use in many relations, and is particularly shown herein for actuating a switch to control the circuit of an electrical translating device such as a motor. As heretofore specifically applied, the device has been employed Vto control the circuit of a portable electric drill. Portable electric drills are eX- tensively used for drilling ship and structural shapes, plates and the like, and are subjected to rough and frequently unintelligent use. Diiiiculty has been experienced in devising` controlling switch mechanisms for these drills, which would properly and quickly open and close the motor circuit. It is often necessary to quickly stop the drill and ordinary switches work too slow and do not always give sufficient break to avoid destructive arcs. lt is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a switch mechanism which will open and close with equal rapidity, and which can be proportioned to give as much break as may be desired, without either involving slow operation or being dependent upon the will. of the operator. It is, therefore, impossible for him either to leave the switch partly closed when he intends to close it or partly open when he intends to open it, since no movement of the switch in either direction takes place until the latch is released, and when once the latch is released the switch is beyond control by the operator until its movement by the spring has been effected.

The specific form of the invention shown herein embodies the foregoing characteristics, and in addition there is shown an additional spring acting on the controlling means, and causing it to tend to automatically return and open the switch, unless resisted by the hand of the operator. Thus, if the operator lets go of the controlling handle, the switch automatically opens. Ob viously, the reverse operation could be effected, that is the switch could be biased by the spring to close and be held open by the hand of the operator.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure l is a longitudinal section of a mechanism embodying' the invention, showing the switch open;

Fig. 2 shows a different position, in which the controlling handle is about to trip the reciprocating bar to open the switch; and

Fig. 8 shows a detail of the switch mechanism at right angles to Fig. l.

l represents a tubular casing or handle which will be attached at its lower end 2 to the frame of the drill, drill, motor, chuck and associated parts not being shown herein. 3 represent-s a reciprocating bar only used for tripping, and at its forward end carrying a pin 5 which passes through a slot 6 in a plunger 7. The plunger 7 carries a rod S which latter carries a cross-head 9, to which is fastened through insulating plates 10 `the movable switch member 11. rIhis bridges the circuit across two spring contacts 12 having circuit terminals 13. The cross-head 9 has a slot which engages with a pin 14 sc as to prevent rotation thereof in the handle 1. 15 is the power supply cable which runs into a bushing 16 which is held to the casing by a clamp 17, and the wires go to a blowout magnet 18 and thence to the terminals 13. 1t will be seen that one side of the circuit is opened by this arrangement, producing a double break. A double break on each side can also be made.

The reciprocating member or bar 3 is movable transversely to its path of reciprocation, the front end moving in the slot 6 of the plunger. The pivoting point is at stop 21 for the return movement, and at stop 22 tor the forward movement, and the roller 4 reduces the friction when the controlling lever bears on it to disengage notch 20 from latch 21. The bar 3 carries two notches 19, 20, which respectively engage with iixed stops 21, 22. The bar 3 is also provided with a pin 23 to which is attached a spring 24, the other end of the spring 24 being attached at 25 to the controlling lever 26, which is pivoted on the casing 1 at 27. The bar 3 is also provided with a tripping projection 23 which will be engaged by the corner 29 ot the controlling device 26. 1t will also be observed that the pivot 25 swings in an arc about pivot 27, and thereby causes the spring 24 to tend to throw the bar 3 in one or the other direction depending upon which side of pivot 27 the pin 23 is on.

lin the position shown in Fig. 1, the mechanism is in oii position, with the spring 24 under slight tension and tending to hold the controlling device 26 in its extreme lett position. At the same time, the Vnotch 19 ot bar 3 is engaged with stop 21. Upon moving the controlling device 26 to the right, it

will be seen that the irst eect is to put in-y creasing tension on the spring 24, as the lever 26 moves to the right, but the latch 19 holds the bar 3 against movement to the right until the corner 29 of the controlling lever 26 engages the bar 3 at projection 28 and disengages the notch 19 from the latch 21. Thereupon, the spring 24 quickly throws the entire reciprocating mechanism to the right, causing a very quick and rapid engagement ot the switch contacts 11 and 12. It will be seen that the actual movement of the switch does not Vcommence until 'the bar 3 is tripped at 19, and thereupon, the spring moves it beyond the possibility of any control by the operator, and quicker than the operator could possibly try to stop it or fail to properly trip it. Fig. 2 shows the position of thek controlling lever 26 just as it engages roller 4 showing-that the controlling lever has nearly completed its movement without moving the switch. Wh en the switch is closed, the notch 2O engages with the stop 22, because the tension of the spring 24 tends to always lift the bar 3 and cause it to slide under the stops 21, 22.

Should the operator now let go of handle 26 after the bar has been tripped and the switch closed, Spring 31 connected at one end to the casing at 32 and at its other end to the lever 26 at 33, would pull the lever 26 backward and cause it to trip the notch 75 2O from stop 22 by again engaging the bar 3 (or the roller 4) at the curve 34. Obviously, the spring 31 can be omitted, so that the switch would remain closed until the operator throws lever 26 to the left tar 80 enough to engage curve 34 of the lever with the roller 4 of bar 3 and depress it so as to disengage stop 22 from notch 20, whereupon the spring 24 would throw the entire reciprocating mechanism back to its original position, opening the switch.

The casing 1 is suitably formed at its forward end to contain the blowout magnet 18, the necessary circuit terminals, etc., and the switch contacts 11 andV 12 are preferably in- 90 closed in a non-combustible casing 35 so that the arcs will be confined therein and not damage other parts.

It is thought that the nature and advantages of the quick acting reciprocating mechv anism herein described will be fully understood without further explanation. Inasmuch as the apparatus is capable of use in numerous relations I do not restrict myself either to its specific use in a switch, nor

do I restrict myself to the precise details oli' construction and arrangement of parts herein illustrated, as various modifications and changes can be made therein without departing from the scope of the appended 105.

claims.

Having thus described my invention, l declare that what I claim as new` and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is :-v

1. A switch mechanismy comprising a tubular handle, ya switch member longitudinally and laterally movable therein, a control member mounted on said handle and a spring between said switch and said cont-rol member for snapping said switch longitudinally to extreme position and laterally to latch it in said position.

2. A switch mechanism comprising a longitudinally and laterally movable switch bar reciprocating between opposite extreme polongitudinally to eXtreme position and laterally to latch it in said position.

3. The combination with a movable switch member, of a switch bar slidably pivoted thereto, latching means engaging the respective ends of said bar, a controlling device movable to release said bar from said stops, and a spring connected between said device and said bar for moving said switch member when said bar is released.

4. The combination with a tubular housing, of a switch member longitudinally reciprocating therein, a latching bar attached to said switch member, latching means interlocking with said bar, an external controlling device carried by said housing and movable to release said bar from said latching means, and a spring connected to said bar and said controlling device for holding said bar in engagement with said latching means and storing power during movement of said controlling device to actuate said switch member when said bar is released from said latching means.

5. rThe combination with a tubular housing, of a switch member longitudinally reciprocating therein, a latching bar attached to said switch member, latching means interlocking with said bar, a hollow controlling lever mounted on said housing, and a spring connect-ed at one end within said lever and at the other end to said bar tor actuating said switch member when said bar is released.

6. In a quick acting switch mechanism, a bodily movable switch actuating member, controlling member movable to engage said actuating member, a spring connected between said members and, when moved by said controlling member, storing power for actuating said other member, latching means 'or holding said actuating member against said stored power, said actuating member being moved laterally and disengaged from said latch when said controlling member is operated.

7. In a switch apparatus, the combination of a longitudinally and laterally movable switch member, latching means interlocking therewith, and a controlling spring for reciprocating said member and interlocking it with said latching means at the end of its reciprocation.

8. ln a switch mechanism, a longitudinally movable switch bar, latching means interlocking with said bar, a controlling device engaging and moving said bar to release it from said latching means, and a power storing spring connection between said controlling device and said bar and acting both to move the bar when unlatched and latch in its new position.

9. 1n a. switch mechanism, the combination' with a tubular handle having a longitudinally reciprocating switch member therein, of latching means mounted on said handle and engaging said switch member to hold it against movement, a controlling lever on said handle movable with relation to said latching means to release said member from said latching means, and a power storing spring connection between said lever and said switch member and moving said member upon its release trom said latching means.

l0. The combination with a support having separated stops mounted thereon, of a longitudinally reciprocatory bar bearing on said stops and engaging therewith at its respective limits ot movement, a controlling lever mounted on said support and having means for disengaging said reciprocatory bar from said stops, and a spring connected between said bar and said. lever for actuating said bar when disengaged from either of said stops.

l1. The combination with a longitudinally movable switch bar, of latching means for said bar at a plurality of positions, a controlling handle movable to disengage said latching means, and a coiled tension spring connected between said bar and said handle to swing in opposite directions about its point of connection to said bar whereby to store power to move said bar upon release of said latching means.

l2. 1n a switch mechanism, the combination with a tubular support, of a switch bar longitudinally movable therein, stationary switch contacts cooperating with said bar, latching means for said bar, a controlling lever projecting from an intermediate portion or' said support and adapted to engage said bar and release it from said latching means, and a spring connected at one end to said lever and at the other end to said bar so that said spring will swing to opposite sides ot its connection to said bar and simultaneously store power to actuate said bar upon release of said latching means.

13. The combination with a switch member longitudinally movable .between opposite extreme positions, of a latching bar pivotcd thereto, means for engaging and latching said bar at each position, a. movable controlling device for disengaging said bar, a spring connected between said bar and said controlling device l'or actuating said bar and switch member by power stored in said spring during actuation of said controlling device, and a spring for normally holding said controlling device in one position.

14. The combination with a 'support having separated stops mounted thereon, of a longitudinally reciprocatory bar bearing on said stops and engaging therewith at its respective limits of movement, a controlling lever mounted on said support and having means for disengaging said reciprocatory bar from said stops, a spring connected between said bar and said lever for actuating said bar when disengaged from either ot latched, anda'spring for normally holding said controlling device in off position.

ln testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ELIE F. G. H. FAURE.

said stops, and a spring Vfor normally holding` said controlling device in oi position.

15. A switch mechanism comprising a movable bar, latching means interlocking therewith, a controlling device, a single spring connected to said bar and controlled. Witnesses: by said controlling device whereby to both C. H. SCHUM, latch said bar and to throw it When un- J.O.MERW1N.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

